Team Castle Talks of the Big Hook-Up, the Father of All Mysteries, Satiny Kisses and Secrets Spilled

ABC’s Castle on Friday night held court at PaleyFest12, held at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. There, lucky attendees were first treated to cast member Tamala Jones’ performance of the song she sang in the noir “Blue Butterfly” episode, followed by a screening of the next new episode, “A Dance With Death,” to air March 19.

Teed up by series creator Andrew W. Marlowe as the “last normal episode before the stormy weather hits,” the hour revolves around the death of a TV dance competition contestant (and in doing so lets slip an interesting reveal about Lanie’s own fancy footwork). The episode also finds Beckett revealing to Castle that she didn’t always want to be a cop, and serves up fun moments involving Esposito, Ryan and… strippers?!

In the panel discussion that followed — featuring Jones, Marlowe, series leads Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic, Molly Quinn, Susan Sullivan, Seamus Dever, Jon Huertas and Penny Johnson Jerald — the hot topics kicked off with, not surprisingly, the question of whether it’s time for Rick and Kate to, you know, just do it.

“Yes!” Katic immediately declared, eliciting cheers. Fillion responded by saying, “I think it’s played out very well — it’s been tastefully and artfully dealt with — but I don’t think it’s something that can be done forever. Andrew has shared his plan, and it’s deft.”

And when the time does come for the do to do the deed, Fillion is of the mind that “it should be really clumsy, with stuff getting knocked over.”

Castle’s “family” were on opposing sides of the two hooking up. “I am completely bored with this ongoing saga,” said Sullivan with a wink. “I want my boy to move along, I want a little action!” Young Quinn, however, argued in character, “The tension is nice, and they can keep it that way – out of the house!”

Sharing his own take on the inevitable, Marlowe said, “When that time comes, it opens up new opportunities in storytelling” and “that next evolution in their relationship can be just as fun.”

The other big “mystery” at hand involves the bombshell recently dropped by Jennifer Beals’ crooked CIA agent — that Rick’s father was a spy as well. The twist there, says Marlowe, is “Castle doesn’t know if he can trust what Sophia says. And, if you’re father is in the CIA, how do you find out?” That said, he promised the arc “is something we’ll be exploring forward in the series.”

Other topics covered during the Paley panel:

SERENITY NOW | Previewing his Firefly costar Adam Baldwin’s guest-starring turn as a police detective named Slaughter, Fillion said the character’s name “kind of says it all.” As Castle shadows this gruff crimesolver while Beckett is busy elsewhere, “It’s not going to be the same experience…. It’s safe to say that parts of his face will be rearranged.”

OH MY! | Reflecting on the “Cuffed” episode, Fillion revealed that he and Katic, tethered together for hours on end, were protected by rubber-lined shackles. Meanwhile, the tiger they got to work with, he said, “made my list: Heights, sharks, bears, tigers — things I don’t want to get killed by.”

KISS AND TELL | Jones spoke of kissing Fillion in the noir episode, and in the most glowing of terms. “I love kissing you, I do,” she said to scene partner Huertas. “But Nathan…. it was like satin or something. And the breath was extra-fresh!”

THIS ‘N THAT | When asked if the show will ever set an episode around the world premiere of the Nikki Heat movie, Marlowe echoed that which he told TVLine in September: “We’re talking about it, but it’s really expensive” to fake a red carpet event…. Sullivan shared that Martha is “an homage to my own mother, who passed away in December,” a woman who “was alive and significant and wanted to do things”…. Asked to share things about their character that exist only in their own minds, Katic said that as she sees it, Beckett “likes the color purple… and strawberry shakes” — to which Fillion quickly quipped, “And Ryan like Shamrock Shakes. But only one week a year!”

THE SECRETS CIRCLED | All told, Marlowe reminded that Season 4 “is a season of secrets,” including Beckett having heard Castle’s “I love you,” and Castle steering Beckett away from the incendiary case of her mother’s murder. “As we get into his last run, those secrets will start to come up, and [everyone] will have to deal with the consequences.”

I agree. I thought the panel was hilarious, but ultimately pointless. It basically consisted of the cast joking around and Andrew Marlowe ducking all questions lobbed his way. My goodness, it’s Castle, not Lost, give us something.

THIS. Agree with you both @julia and @emily. I was totally disappointed by the panel. I really didn’t need them to waste all that time on BLUE BUTTERFLY (move on, it wasn’t that amazing. And honestly, I didn’t feel that the moderator had either a.) a good enough handle on the show to ask more nuanced questions or b.) was just bad at it. Either way, it felt like a colossal waste of 2 hours except for seeing our cast live. Marlowe not answering any questions or giving us any insight was just plain dumb and short sighted on his part. Just like you said emily, it’s not LOST, for the love of god. Let’s face it, this season has been lackluster at best minus some of the mythology episodes. I really hope they pull it together at the end of this season because my patience is wearing thin. Also, fellow fans, seriously with those stupid questions? Here is the opportunity to ask any thing you want and you want to get your Firefly poster signed and find out where Alexis is going to college?! WTF?!

I’m so sick of people like you, you’re so ignorant. Overall ratings have gone UP this season and the show is doing better than ever. Also whilst I’m sure Stana would love to do more films she’s already had time to do two or three inbetween filming Castle. PLus she’s not an idiot, she’s got a good thing going for her with Castle and I’m sure she knows it, besides you can tell that she loves playing that character and it’s fairly obvious she’ll stick a around at ;east for another couple of seasons if they get that (which I’m confident that they will)
So stop being one of those idiots going on and on about ratings. The ratings are GOOD. Really good. And Castle is one of ABC’s strongest shows. You’re being an idiot and you should just shut up and leave people alone. If you’re this negative why do you even watch the show? Do you even like it? Seriously, there’s this thing called OPTIMISM, get some.

I was there and loved every moment of it. Just about everyone had similar personalities as their characters on the show, except Stana. She was so sweet but very shy and did not say very much, looking down a lot. Almost like she did not want the attention on herself, preferring others to speak instead. I almost wondered if the lights bothered her eyes as she blinked a lot when looking out. It was really a fun time!!! So love them all. My husband and I find ourselves looking forward to Mondays just because its Castle night!! Lol.

“…’A Dance With Death,’ to air March 19. Teed up by series creator Andrew W. Marlowe as the ‘last normal episode before the stormy weather hits,’…”

YEAH bring it ON baby … if the drama leads to some forward movement with the characters and with Castle/Beckett, then I’m all for it!! Those secrets cannot come out soon enough from my perspective. Can’t wait to see how it all plays out.

They’re definitely going to end up in bed together before season’s end. Stana is confident that the shippers will be very pleased by the developments come the end of the season. She’s made it clear since the season 3 premiere that she’d like to see them initiate a relationship ASAP, if she approves, it must be pretty huge.

The Ausiello ‘Blind Item’ about a popular couple on a network show “doing the deed” is absolutely about them. If it’s not, I will be extremely surprised.

This season, there’s been painfully minimal development between the two, the show could fully redeem itself by taking that step with their relationship.

Considering Stana Katic is no troll when it comes to teasing what’s in store for fans, her comment suggests she’s personally pleased with whatever is going to happen, if she thinks the shippers will be satisfied, we’re in for something good. (she’s a self-confessed shipper herself, anyway).

This is how I think it’ll pan out: Beckett confesses to Castle that she remembers the “I love you, Kate” – They sleep together – Beckett is ready to reciprocate the confession of love and give the Castle the green light – Castle comes clean to Beckett about shielding her from information about her mother’s murder – Beckett (pissed to the max) completely rethinks everything and the season ends with the audience unsure whether Beckett is going to once again, shut him out for the summer or give them a chance.

O, I like your thinking on how this is all going to play out. I’m just SOOOO over the tension, and I hate to hear there’s only one normal episode left, cause those are the only ones that I like anymore. They took a really fun show and turned it into a just plain watchable and semi-cute show, which is sad!

Yup I have been picturing it to play out the exact same way based on all the little hints they’ve thrown us so far. We’ll see if we are right. :)

Personally I don’t think they should drag out the “Beckett is mad at Castle” storyline for TOO long, because he was only keeping his secret for her protection. I mean hello, girlfriend got sniped in the chest due to her investigation, the ONLY next step after that is death. Anyone in Castle’s position would do exactly what he is doing. But, that said, I do suspect that the finale cliffhanger will have something to do with this storyline (of Beckett being angry with Castle after finding all this stuff out).

You shouldn’t really think that just because Stana Katic wants to see them in a relationship means that they will be in a relationship by the end of this season. Tamala Jones said in an recent interview that they don’t know what happens until when they read the script two days before they shoot the episode and that the writers don’t really tell them anything. I doubt Stana knows anything.

I hope that Castle and Beckett get angry after they reveal their secrets and not just jump in bed together. If they just forgive each other and have sex, then I will be so disappointed. They would have no self respect and it would seem like they care about sex more than their partnership/relationship. I want them to get together just like everyone else…but I want Marlowe to do this right. I want him to deal with their secrets and the consequences, but have them eventually comeback to each other.

Typical horrible ABC! Castle is a hit show that has spawned two Nikki Heat books and the show can’t have a red carpet episode because it’s expensive? What? Did ABC spend too money luring Katie-boring-Couric? Obviously ABC doesn’t appreciate the hit shows or the fans anymore…it’s all about profits and exec bonuses. UGH! I HATE ABC and Disney!